Holster clamp



Patented Dec. 6, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

My invention relates in general to fasteners and has more particular reference to a clip or clamp for securing holsters, sheaths and similar receptacles rmly on a support such as a belt or other means of attachment on the wearer.

An important object of the invention is to provide means for securely mounting a receptacle, such as a knife sheath or gun holster, upon the person carrying the same whereby to prevent accidental dislodgment of the receptacle from mounted position, the mounting means, however, being operable to permit the receptacle to be quickly and easily detached from mounted position without loosening or otherwise disturbing the strap, belt or other means of attachment carried by the wearer.

Heretofore it has been customary tc provide knife sheaths and gun holsters with closed loops by means of which the receptacle may be attached to the person of the wearer by means of a belt or strap passing through the closed loop. Such an arrangement, however, necessitates the loosening or opening of the supporting strap in order to permit the receptacle to be withdrawn from mounted position on the belt or strap, and it is an important object of my present invention to eliminate the inconvenience thus encountered in applying and removing receptacles of the character mentioned from the person of a wearer, while at the same time insuring firm and positive connection and attachment of the receptacle when in mounted position.

Another important object is to provide a simplified mounting clip fo-r sheaths, holsters and similar receptacles, the clip being operable to permit attachment of the receptacle as on a closed belt or strap without opening or loosening the same, and being formed to prevent accidental or unintentional removal of the clip and the receptacle from mounted position, the clip, however, being adapted for manipulation to permit it and its associated receptacle to be readily detached from mounted position on a -strap or other support without loosening or otherwise disturbing the support; a further object being to provide a clip so formed `and arranged that when attached in receptacle mounting position, it will be practically impossible to dislodge the same from mounted position by pulling, turning, twisting or' otherwise manipulating the mounted receptacle.

Another impotrant object is to provide mounting means of the character mentioned embodying a hooked clip .adapted to receive, in interlocking fashion, a belt, strap or other support element on which a receptacle carried by the clip is to be mounted; a further object being to provide a clip mounting plate with which the hooked clip is cooperatively associated and adapted, when the clip is in relatively closed position, to cooperate with the hooked portion of the clip in order to substantially close the same upon the support element.

Another important object is to provide a spring pressed mounting clip for attaching a receptacle, such as a sheath or holster, upon the wearing apparel of a person carrying the receptacle, said clip comprising relatively movable spring pressed clip elements formed to provide an enclosed housing for the clip actuating spring in order to protect the clothing of the person carrying the holster from coming in contact with the spring to thereby minimize wear and tear eects on said clothing.

Another important object resides in providing, in combination, a usually leather receptacle such as a knife sheath or gun holster, and a quick detachable mounting clip whereby the receptacle may be readily applied on the person of a wearer and as readily detached from mounted position, the mounting clip, when atached, serving to rmly secure the receptacle against accidental or undesired removal of the receptacle from the person of the wearer, yet permitting easy and rapid mounting or removal of the receptacle in response to the wishes of the wearer and' without requiring manipulation or disturbance of belts, straps or other apparel of the wearer on which the receptacle is carried when mounted.

The numerous objects, advantages and inherent functions of the invention will become more apparent as the same is understood from the following description which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, discloses preferred embodiments of the invention.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a strap or belt carrying a holster supported in accordance with the teachings of my present invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a holster provided with a mounting clip in accordance with my present invention.

Figure 3 is an exploded view of parts forming .a clip made in accordance with my present invention.

Figures 4 and 5 are sectional views taken substantially along the lines 4-4 and 5--5 respectively in Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view illustrating a modified form of a clip part shown in Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the form and relationship of parts of a clip embodying the modification shown in Figure 6.

To illustrate my invention I have shown on the drawing a receptacle I I comprising a gun holster which may, of course, be of any suitable or preferred form, and a mounting clip I 3 for attaching the holster on a strap, belt or other item of Wearing apparel I5 adapted to form a partI of the normal equipment of the person wearing the holster While I have shown a receptacle I I in the form of a gun holster, it will be apparent that the invention is not necessarily limited to the particular form of receptacle illustrated, but may be applied in any type of receptacle, such as a kinfe sheath, axe sheath and in fact any bag, pocket or other receiver which it may be desired to attach on the person or clothing of the wearer.

The clip I3 of my present invention is adapted for permanent attachment on the receptacle II and provides. means whereby said receptacle may be quickly and easily attached upon the belt I5, the clip being formed and arranged to securely hold the receptacle in place against accidental displacement from mounted position and at the same time permitting ready removal or attachment in response to the desire or wish of the wearer without requiring opening of the belt I5 or other manipulation thereof.

To this end the clip I3 comprises a pair of coop-- erating elements I1 and I9, the element I1 comprising a mounting plate adapted to be secured, preferably in permanent fashion, on a Wall of the sheath II in any suitable or preferred fashion, as by the rivets 2 I, the mounting plate I1 being provided with perforations 23 for accommodating the rivets 2i or other fastening elementsemployed in securing the plate on the holster. The element i9 comprises a blade having a curled or hooked portion 25 at one end, and a manually operable portion, preferably in the form of a finger piece 21, at the other, means being provided to mount the blade for tilting movement on the mounting plate i? on au axis intermediate the opposed ends of the blade. To this end, mounting plate I1 i's formed with a pair of spaced.- ears 29 which are preferably integral with, and struck from the material, of the mounting plate. These ears 29 are perforated as at 3 I to receive the opposed ends of apin or shaft 33. The clip element i9 also is formed with ears 35 formed laterally and pref:- erably integrally on the element I9 and spaced apart sufliciently to overlie the opposed faces of the ears 3i. The ears 35 also are perforated. as at 31 to receive the pin 33. The parts are assembled by bringing the clip element I9 intov facing relationship on the mounting plate I1 with the openings 3l and 31. in registration, then inserting a preferably helical spring 39zbetween the spaced ears 3l and finally inserting the pin 33 endwise through the openings 3I and 31 on one side of the clip, through the helical spring` 39 and through the openings 3I` and 31 on the other side of the clip. Thereupon the opposite ends of the pin 33 which project from the earsY 35 may be riveted to hold the pin in place.

The spring 39 has-its opposed ends extended, as at 4 I, in position to bear upon the mounting. plate I1 and the clip blade I9 respectively in opposite directions to normally urge the hooked end 25 of the blade toward the facing endl of' the mounting plate. The mounting plate has ari-edge 43 disposed in position to register with the marginal edge 45 of the curled portion 25 so that when the mounting plate I1 is attached on the receptacle II, the curled end 25 of the clip blade will press upon the receptacle opposite the edge 43 of the mounting plate with the edges 43 and 45 in opposing relationship. If desired, the mounting plate I1 may be extended beyond the edge 43 to form an opening 41 defined by said edge and positioned to receive the curled end 25 of the clip blade, as shown in Figures. 6 and 7. In either event the curled edge 45 will normally lie in the plane of the mounting plate I'I when the clip is assembled on the receptacle II.

It will be seen that by pressing upon the finger piece 21, the blade I9 may be rotated on the mounting plate I1 in order to open the clip and to permit the belt I5 or other tem of wearing apparel on which the holster is to be mounted, to be inserted between the edges 43 and 45 and thereby permit the clip to be attached on the support I5 by enclosing the same within the space defined by and between the blade I9 and the plate I1. It will be seen that the support I5 may be entirely enclosed within the space defined by and between the mounting plate and the blade, and that the curled end 25, when the. clip is released, will partially encircle the support I5 and prevent the same from being withdrawn from the clip as a' result of any twisting, pulling or other manipulation applied on the holster, sothat. the holster, when thus mounted', will be firmly secured. The receptacle, however, may be readily removed from the support I5 without opening the same or otherwise disturbing the normal mounted position of the support on the body of the wearer. Removal of the receptacle I I may be accomplished simply by pressing upon the finger piece 21 and unhooking the curled end 25 from the belt I5.

I prefer also to enclose the spring 39 in a housing formed by cooperating portions of the plate I1 and blade I9 to the end that the support I5 when enclosed between the plate and blade, may be protected against contact with thespring. To this end the ears 35 of the blade may be formed with integral extensions 41 extending opposite the ends of the spring 39. The plate I1 also may be formed with an upstanding lip or liange 49 in position to extend between the portions 41 when the parts are assembled. The lip 49 and the extension 41 thus enclose the spring from the support receiving space between the plate I1 and the blade I9 and also prevent the belt I5 from scraping upon the edges of the ears 29. It will be seen also that the flange or lip 49 has an edge facing the blade I9 in position to form a stop to limit the closing movement of the blade on the plate I1, so that, when the clip is closed, the edge 45 will align with the edge 43.

The mounting clipV of my present invention provides for the facile attachment and detachment of a receptacle on a belt, strap or other element of personal wear normally worn by the person on which the receptacle is to be attached, and the clip of my present inventionmay be utilized to attach the receptacle on other clothing items than a belt or strap. For example, the clip may be utilized tosuspend the receptacle on an edge of a coat pocket or on a pair of trousers, or in fact on any support affording means adapted to enter the clip, the curled edge 25 of the blade I9 serving to grip a support, which does not enter entirely betweenV the clip parts-|1 and I9, firmly and in interlocking fashion between the opposing edges 43 and 45, thus holding the clip firmly on a support of the character provided by the edge of a pocket or a trouser top.

It is thought that the invention and its numerous attendant advantages will be fully understood from the foregoing description, and it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention and without sacricing its attendant advantages, the forms herein described being preferred embodiments for the purpose of demonstrating the invention and not by way of limitation.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

1. A clip for removably securing a sheath on a strap, comprising a pair of cooperating clip elements including a mounting plate adapted for attachment on the sheath, and an operating blade, said plate and blade having lugs extending laterally therefrom, a pin passing through said lugs to pivotally connect said plate and blade, a spring encircling the pin and having a portion pressing said blade and another portion pressing said plate, a guard projection extending from one of said elements toward the other and overlying the medial portions of said spring, additional guard projections extending from the other element and overlying the opposed ends of said spring, said spring normally urging the operating blade toward closed position on the mounting plate, and said operating blade having a hooked end portion providing a lip cooperating with the plate When the blade is in closed position, whereby the plate and blade, including the hooked portion, may form a substantially closed loop for receiving the strap.

2. A clip for removably securing a sheath on a strap, comprising a pair of cooperating clip elements including a mounting plate adapted for attachment on thesheath, and an operating blade, said plate and blade having lugs extending laterally therefrom, a pin passing through said lugs to pivotally connect said plate and blade, a spring encircling the pin and having a portion pressing said blade and another portion pressing said plate, a guard projection extending from one of said elements toward the other and overlying the medial portions of said spring, additional guard projections extending from the other element and overlying the opposed ends of said spring, said spring normally urging the operating blade toward closed position on the mounting plate, and said operating blade having a hooked end portion providing a lip in position to extend in the plane of the plate in registration vvith an edge of said plate when the blade is in closed position thereon.

RUDOLPH MEINE. 

